Some noob questions about reading overwritten data

[kurt2121]

I've been reading so much contradicting information online, I really have no idea whats true and what isn't anymore. (Also, I should clarify that viewing them would suffice, I don't necessarily have to recover them) The hdd in question is a HGST Travelstar 5K250 HTS542516K9SA00 - hard drive - 160 GB.

1. One of the things I read stated that sometimes its possible to read overwritten data as long as its "only a couple layers deep". Does that mean if it is overwritten once by Windows, I can still use software to view it? Or would it involve striping away at the physical hdd? Keep in mind I'm talking about notepad type files with plain text.

2. If a text file is "partially overwritten", would I be able to view the text that wasn't overwritten in a program like DMDE or something similar?


3. What software would be capable of reading (in plain english like a hex editor) the overwritten data and the partially overwritten data?

4. I've read some articles talking about how hdd's never write to the exact same place more than once. What does this mean regarding overwritten data?

[fzabkar]

Didn't the following thread answer most of your questions?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33909

[kurt2121]

Didn't the following thread answer most of your questions?
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33909

Not the ones I listed above.

[northwind]

1. One of the things I read stated that sometimes its possible to read overwritten data as long as its "only a couple layers deep". Does that mean if it is overwritten once by Windows, I can still use software to view it? Or would it involve striping away at the physical hdd? Keep in mind I'm talking about notepad type files with plain text.

Not true. Once sectors are overwritten, they're gone forever.

2. If a text file is "partially overwritten", would I be able to view the text that wasn't overwritten in a program like DMDE or something similar?

Theoritically speaking, you could be able to see data of partially not-overwritten files using some hex viewer (or DMDE).

3. What software would be capable of reading (in plain english like a hex editor) the overwritten data and the partially overwritten data?

See answer 2. There are plenty of freeware hex editors.

4. I've read some articles talking about how hdd's never write to the exact same place more than once. What does this mean regarding overwritten data?

This is ridiculous. If that was correct, then HDDs would work sort-of like CD-Rs: write data -> reach maximum capacity -> turn in read-only mode.
HDDs can read and write for as long as they're healthy.

[kurt2121]

1. One of the things I read stated that sometimes its possible to read overwritten data as long as its "only a couple layers deep". Does that mean if it is overwritten once by Windows, I can still use software to view it? Or would it involve striping away at the physical hdd? Keep in mind I'm talking about notepad type files with plain text.

Not true. Once sectors are overwritten, they're gone forever.

2. If a text file is "partially overwritten", would I be able to view the text that wasn't overwritten in a program like DMDE or something similar?

Theoritically speaking, you could be able to see data of partially not-overwritten files using some hex viewer (or DMDE).

3. What software would be capable of reading (in plain english like a hex editor) the overwritten data and the partially overwritten data?

See answer 2. There are plenty of freeware hex editors.

4. I've read some articles talking about how hdd's never write to the exact same place more than once. What does this mean regarding overwritten data?

This is ridiculous. If that was correct, then HDDs would work sort-of like CD-Rs: write data -> reach maximum capacity -> turn in read-only mode.
HDDs can read and write for as long as they're healthy.

Thanks!

[fzabkar]

Let's assume binfile is a portion of a binary file and textfile is a portion of a text file.

We can create a hybrid textbin or bintext file as follows:

copy /b binfile + textfile bintext
copy /b textfile + binfile textbin

Now view these files in a hex editor (eg HxD freeware) or in a word processor (eg Windows Wordpad or DOS Edit).

[Keatah]

4. I've read some articles talking about how hdd's never write to the exact same place more than once. What does this mean regarding overwritten data?

I think what was meant by this question is that the data, during subsequent re-writes, gets shifted around. Maybe not the precise same spot, but a few nm off-target so to speak.

But, yes of course, sectors are reused unlike CD-R.